Your Humble Scribe

Saturday, September 08, 2012

Waugh!

Herself is a dedicated connoisseur of all things sushi-related and I am content to let her pick the course when we go out, but last night I had a major brain-cramp.

The special at the local sushi bar was a whole bunch of something that was topped with a cilantro/habeñero pureé.

I looked at "habeñero pureé", read "habeñero pureé", but my Brain Housing Group came up with "jalapeño chutney".

Jalapeño is about my limit when it comes to spikiness in my food. Much hotter than that, and the meal becomes an exercise in masochism rather than a meal.

The roll that I sampled was delightful. Right up until some little Japanese gnome with a flamethrower and a grudge set my tonsils on fire.

I am proud to say that I chewed thoughtfully, took a sip of water, and then made -- what I hope was -- an insightful comment about the heat level of the food.

I then immediately took a sample of something else both to give myself an excuse not to go anywhere near that Satanic green jellyroll ever again, and to attempt to pummel the vertically-challenged pyromaniacal Nipponese lawn ornament into submission.

Unfortunately the next thing she had selected was a volcano roll -- apparently so-named because the centre is full of magma-grade molten cream-cheese.

Between the chemical burns and the thermal burns my throat will never be the same again.

I highly recommend Unagi (eel). It is very tasty.I tend to avoid wasabi as well, not out of spiciness but out of flavor. I prefer to tatse the goodness of the sushi without the Green Paste of Doom.If you do venture forth into the sushi realm again I suggest you find some place that does good cheap sushi and get a sampler of nigiri (the rectangle of rice with a chunk of fish/shrip/eel/et cetera on top).If you have a partically good chef at the bar you can inform him of your neophyte nature and he can probably make something good to let you see what the various options are.Best of luck to you.

The local Chinese Restaurant, as a joke made some special Sushi for one of or local law enforcement fellows. He claimed he could eat anything no problem. The Chef ordered up some ghost peppers, Our local LE Fellow refuses to eat at the restaurant ever again. He claims they tried to kill him. :o)

My first sushi was in Okinawa at a department party attended by local ladies who brought a platter they prepared. I decided to try it with some reservation about the raw fish stuff. I asked what the green stuff was and someone mentioned it would likely cook the fish so I heaped a glob on and through it in my mouth. Before briefly going blind and deaf I recall the ladies eyes getting saucer like. Being a Chief I slowly chewed it up, did not cry since that would not of been chiefly, swallowed and went for beer when I could stand. Beer helped.Ben

That "Green Stuff"is Wasabi --- not unlike Ënglish"mustard...our fire department exchanged with same in Gloustershire way back when and we were hosted by the auxiliary...on the table was wonderful roast and pork and others and....mustard...one of our ilk slathered it on his roast beef sandwich - we warned him....Coleman's to the death!

If you're ever down in the Big Sleazy, check out Ninja's Sushi on Oak Street. I love the Satan Rolls, which feature a *hot* Chinese mustard. Do not, I repeat *NOT* breathe while chewing one of these. The burn is intense, but short lived.

While I am firmly in the camp that says that real men don't eat bait I saw a show on Netflix called Jiro Dreams of Sushi about a Japanese sushi chef named Jiro who has devoted his life to perfecting sushi. He is in his 80's now and owns a little restaurant that only seats about a dozen.He is considered the best sushi chef in Japan and is booked months in advance and charges a minimum of $300 a plate and people come from all over the world to eat there.You should watch it if you get the chance.

Lawdog, I'm very late to this sushi party but let me make two recommendations:1) I second KoutetsuKaigun - NO wasabi. I mix a bit of wasabi into my soy sauce but not all dishes need it, especially the following.2) Pickled mackerel ("shimesaba"), or straight raw mackerel ("saba") if they don't have pickled. I order 4 plates every time. Melts in the mouth.